Mixed Ability Teaching: Meeting Learners' Needs. Netword 3: Teaching Languages to Adults.

This guide, designed for teachers of second languages to adults, discusses instruction for student groups of mixed abilities. The first chapter examines the factors that determine mixed ability, including: student motivation, interests, and needs; linguistic ability; general educational background; learning style; age; external pressures and time available to study; and anxiety. The teacher's need to differentiate between learners is also discussed. Chapter 2 describes strategies for getting to know the students: pre-course counseling; questionnaires; ice-breaking classroom activities; activities to help students know themselves; and record-keeping. The third chapter offers techniques for creating the right classroom atmosphere, developing students' study skills, involving learners, planning and organizing lessons, and starting on a small scale. Chapter 4 enumerates strategies for fostering learning: providing variety in the classroom; using a progression setting appropriate achievable goals; deciding whether to use different tasks for different ability levels; using role-play; supporting independent learning; dealing with ability differences in group oral work; group and pair work; and grouping. Appended materials include a sample 2-hour lesson plan, catering for mixed ability, notes on the responsibilities that devolve to administration, and a brief discussion of accreditation. Contains fourteen citations for further reading.